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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Spunky / adventurous girls names

109 replies

granger19 · 16/10/2024 21:33

Help! I'm due in a few weeks and we have no girls names picked out.

DH doesn't like "granny" names, and I don't want a top 100 name, but we both seem to like bright names with an adventurous / spunky vibe. Kind of like Robyn, Max (nn for Maxine?), Beatrix, Joy, maybe even Kit (not sure what it would be a nn for though) - but none of these we LOVE enough to be the one. Any suggestions?!

Also not a fan of the "hippy" type names like Wren, Juniper etc.

Not even sure if my brief makes sense but really hoping for some fun suggestions :) TIA!

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TheLittleOldWomanWhoShrinks · 20/10/2024 11:45

Ramona (after Beverly Cleary's Ramona books)
Nancy (after Nancy Blackett in Swallows and Amazons)
Joan (plenty of kick-ass namesakes there)
Boudicca (couldn't resist)
Heidi
Vivienne
Victoria

TwilightSkies · 20/10/2024 11:41

Vivie. Elliot.

Mojodojocasahous · 20/10/2024 11:39

The spunkiest little girl I know is called Georgia

SerafinasGoose · 20/10/2024 11:35

Radiolala · 16/10/2024 21:43

Google female adventurers:

Famous Female Explorers and Adventurers
Jeanne Baret (1740 – 1807)
Sacagawea (1788 – 1812)
Isabella Bird (1831 – 1904)
Nellie Bly (1864 – 1922)
Annie Londonderry (1870 – 1947)
Bessie Coleman (1892 – 1926)
Amelia Earhart (1897 – disappeared 1937)
Aloha Wanderwell (1906 – 1996)

For spunky I like Saffron, Sapphire, Cleo, Edie and Joni.

These are wonderfully inspiring women!

There is also Elba (called after her initials Elizabeth Law Barbour Andrews) who was the first woman to obtain a pilot's licence in Ireland and drove around in an amphibious car. She was also an explorer, I think.

And of course, not forgetting Amy Johnson.

Bichette · 17/10/2024 13:36

Zelda
Juno
Astrid
Romy
Eden

GoldenPineapple15 · 17/10/2024 13:27

Hero

Notreat · 17/10/2024 13:24

I suppose we all have ideas about strong names. But for what it's worth
Lyra from Northern lights is a very strongest female character I can think
. Other names I feel fit the brief are
Juno
Kate
Frida
Harriet
Hermione
Freya
Cleo
Hera
Athena
Seren

lemonlavendar · 17/10/2024 13:23

Dixie

ThisOldThang · 17/10/2024 13:03

Moreteaandchocolate · 16/10/2024 22:13

Zia
Pippa / Pip
Tessa
Miri (Miriam)
Jazz (Jasmine)
Jem (Jemima)
Frida
Tabs (Tabitha)
Zara
Nina
Rhea
Joss (Jocelyn)
Marcie (Marceline)
Samara (Sam)
Mali
Mara
Hebe
Celyn
Roxy (Roxanne)
Jade
Aubrey (Bree)

Unless you want jokes about 'taking it in the rear', I'd avoid Rhea.

Neurodiversitydoctor · 17/10/2024 12:59

DM is a history graduate who wanted strong names for her girls she liked:
Isabella ( Empress of Spain)
Eleanor ( of aquitaine)
Katherine ( of Arragon)
Elizabeth ( both queens)

Of these I like Katherine ( Kate, Kit/ Kitty/ Eliza/ Liz/ Cathy, ) and Elizabeth ( Liz/Lizzy/Eliza/ Betty/:Betsy/ Beth)

DearTheodosiaa · 17/10/2024 12:42

Saskia

TheBirdintheCave · 17/10/2024 12:18

So to me, names in themselves aren't adventurous sounding it's the personalities of people associated with them that does that.

You'll likely get lots of different answers here!

The 'spunkiest' girls I know are called Anna, Emily and Angharad.

Also, don't fall into the trap of thinking that a boy's name on a girl equals cool and adventurous.

I think maybe you mean that you're looking for names with hard consonants rather than softer sounds.

So with that in mind, perhaps something like:

Veronica
Kirsty
Greta
Megan
Joanna
Annika

UhOhSpagettiOh · 17/10/2024 08:09

Zeplin

AlmostCutMyHairToday · 17/10/2024 08:08

Rikki
Nico
Sal (Sally / Salma)
Jean

DuchessOfSausage · 17/10/2024 08:06

Nancy

MovingTooFast121 · 17/10/2024 07:51

Dorothea - Dot/Dottie/Thea
Theresa - Tessie/Tess
Winifred - Freddie/Winnie
Emmeline - Emmi
Edith - Edie
Tansy
Laurel
Florence - Flo/Flossie
Georgia
Quinn
Hester
Stella
Astrid
Jocelyn - Joss
Heidi
Judith - Jude/Judy

Curlyboot · 17/10/2024 07:39

This reply has been deleted

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redtrain123 · 17/10/2024 07:38

Tegan
Marnie
Trinity
Scarlett
Crystal
Blythe
Paige
Suki

Oldlaundrybasket · 17/10/2024 07:22

Etta

MayaPinion · 17/10/2024 07:20

I like Katherine, as in Katherine Hepburn, silver screen actress and all round strong, independent, woman. Then you could have Kat, Kate, Kit, Kitty, or Rina if you wanted a nickname. The other reason is that it is a classic, beautiful, name that sits as well on an actress as it does on a high court judge. It's a name that will take her anywhere.

greenpasturesandcloverfields · 17/10/2024 07:11

Flossie
Trixie
Piper
Tawny
Heidi
Tia
Miranda
Quinn
Sloane
Luna
Cora
Cleo
Nan
Avis
Soleil
Saskia
Chiara

HelloDaisy · 16/10/2024 23:33

Hope
Nell
Cleo

BeachRide · 16/10/2024 23:10

Lara (Croft!)

TracyBeakerSoYeah · 16/10/2024 23:07

Ramona
Zara
Victoria
Tamara
Kate
Cleo

Sowhatistheendgame · 16/10/2024 23:03

Vita?
(or Vida)

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